Leucanthemum plant named ‘Paladin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Leucanthemum  plant named ‘Paladin’ characterized by daisy type inflorescences with multiple layers of white ray florets and yellow orange disc florets, excellent bloom size, a medium, compact habit, well-branched flower stalks giving repeat bloom all summer, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Leucanthemum×superbum.

Variety designation: ‘Paladin’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum and given the cultivar name ‘Paladin’. Leucanthemum is in the family Asteraceae. This new cultivar originated from an open pollinated cross between Leucanthemum×superbum ‘Broadway Lights’, an unpatented plant, as the seed parent, and an unknown pollen parent.

Compared to Leucanthemum ‘Broadway Lights’, the seed parent, the new variety is shorter and has white rather than light yellow new inflorescences and more ray florets.

Compared to Leucanthemum ‘Anita Allan’, an unpatented plant, the new variety has inflorescences that are larger, with thicker and more ray florets.

This new Leucanthemum cultivar is distinguished by:

-   -   1. daisy type inflorescences with multiple layers of white ray         florets and yellow orange disc florets,     -   2. excellent bloom size,     -   3. a medium, compact habit,     -   4. well-branched flower stalks giving repeat bloom all summer,     -   5. and excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a 2 year old plant growing in the ground in the garden in full sun in the field in late summer in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a close up of a inflorescence of Leucanthemum ‘Paladin’.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Leucanthemum cultivar based on observations of 1 year-old specimens growing in the ground in the field in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in Canby, Oreg. Canby is in Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year in the trial fields in Canby, Oreg. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 4 to 9.         -   Size.—50 cm wide and 56 cm tall to top of inflorescences.         -   Form.—Basal clump.         -   Vigor.—Excellent. -   Stem (flowering):     -   -   Type.—Ascending.         -   Size.—Branching to 56 cm tall to a terminal inflorescence             and 9 mm wide at base.         -   Internode length.—2 cm to 4 cm.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Yellow Green 147B. -   Leaf (basal):     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Arrangement.—Basal.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 12 cm long and 2.2 cm wide.         -   Margins.—Coarsely serrate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate, continuing down petiole.         -   Petiole.—Grows to 6 cm long and 4 mm wide, pubescent, color             closest to Yellow Green 146D.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Top and bottom side, Green 137B. -   Leaf (stem):     -   -   Type.—Simple, no petiole.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 12.5 cm long and 2 cm wide.         -   Margins.—Coarsely serrate on top ⅔, entire on bottom ⅓.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Clasping.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Topside, Green 139A, bottom side Green 137A. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Composite on terminal stalked heads.         -   Number of flowering stems per plant in summer.—About 50.         -   Flowering stem.—Grows to 56 cm tall from the base of the             plant to the terminal Inflorescence to the base of a             inflorescence head; branched, from 1 to 6 flowers per stem;             leafy all the way up the stem; diameter growing to 8 mm wide             near the inflorescence head; pubescent, younger stems Green             138A, older stems Green 138A heavily tinted Brown 200A.         -   Size.—Grows to 10 cm wide and 4.5 cm deep.         -   Form.—Ray petals cup downward slightly, mature disc is             slightly rounded.         -   Immature inflorescence.—1.7 cm wide and 2.1 cm deep, outer             ray florets held vertically and inner ray florets tilted             inward and rolled up so only the back color shows, Yellow             2D, inside color Yellow White 158A.         -   Ray florets.—About 95 normal size in number (and 0 to 17             smaller size near the disc florets, grow to 32 mm long and 4             mm wide), lanceolate, obtuse, entire, attenuate, grows to             4.8 cm long and 1 cm wide, glabrous on both sides; top and             bottom side White 155C with base Yellow Green 144B; pistil             1, Yellow Green 145D, 7 mm long, ovary 3 mm long, style 3 mm             long, 2 branched stigma 1 mm long; no stamen.         -   Disc.—Slightly concave becoming convex, becoming 12 mm deep             and 32 mm wide with maturity, Yellow Orange 14B.         -   Disc florets.—About 360 in number, each 5.5 mm long and 2 mm             wide, corolla tubular campanulate, 3.5 mm long and 2 mm             wide, 5 lobed, glabrous, Yellow Orange 14B; pistil 1, Yellow             Green 145D, 5 mm long, ovary 3 mm long, style 3 mm long, 2             branched stigma 1 mm long; stamen 5 in number, 3 mm long and             Yellow Orange 14B, pollen Yellow Orange 14B.         -   Phyllaries.—In 3 imbricate whorls, area 3.7 cm wide and 7 mm             deep, lobes lanceolate in shape, grow to 12 mm long and 3 mm             wide, Yellow Green 147B, margin membranous, tip obtuse,             glabrous         -   Receptacle.—Grows to 10 mm wide and 4 mm deep, Yellow Green             145C.         -   Bloom period.—June through October in Canby, Oreg.         -   Fragrance.—Slight.         -   Lastingness.—Each inflorescence lasts about two weeks in             Canby, Oreg. -   Seeds: Average number of 3 seeds/head, each 3 mm long and 2 mm wide,     oval, Brown 200C.     -   -   Fertility.—Poor. -   Disease and pests: Leucanthemum are susceptible to aphids and leaf     spots. These have not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions in Canby, Oreg. No resistances are known. 

1. A new and distinct Leucanthemum plant as herein illustrated and described. 